Sudbury.com runs a weekly list of things that are going on locally, both in-person and virtual. If you’re planning a performance, class, presentation, exhibit, fundraiser, initiative or other event in Greater Sudbury, send the details to [email protected] so we can spread the word.
Café Festival Noel presents Tree of Hope lighting
Dec. 1
The tree located in the front of the former Caisse Populaire (now Doghouse restaurant) in Azilda will be adorned with memorial lights and wreaths as a result of generous community donations by individuals, families and corporations. The tree-lighting ceremony takes place at 7 p.m. Dec. 1. Phone 705-918-1534 or email [email protected]. More information, including a list of memorial donations to date, is available online here.
Platinum Jubilee award nominations
Dec. 2 deadline
In honour of the 70-year reign of Queen Elizabeth, Sudbury MP Viviane Lapointe will be recognizing local volunteers with a special limited-edition commemorative pin and a certificate of recognition. Application forms can be accessed electronically on Lapointe’s website or picked up at the constituency office at 93 Cedar Ste. Suite 302. Applications must be submitted by Dec. 2 at 11:59 p.m. Completed applications can be sent to [email protected] or in-person at the constituency office (people are asked to call ahead to 705-673-7107).
Tree Lighting at Tom Davies Square
Dec. 2
This Friday, Dec. 2, residents are invited to mark the beginning of the holiday season with the Merry and Bright tree lighting ceremony. Join Mayor Paul Lefebvre and Members of Council for a short and festive ceremony at 6 p.m. in the Courtyard of Tom Davies Square. Join them for short performances and complimentary hot chocolate and treats. Free GOVA transit will be provided to those attending the event. Simply let the GOVA transit operator know you’ll be attending the ceremony. The Merry and Bright tree will be lit from Dec. 2 to the week after Orthodox Christmas. The Merry and Bright tree is an artificial spruce standing 26 feet tall and 12 feet in diameter. There are 1,325 high-efficiency warm white LED bulbs which accomplish 80 per cent energy savings compared to traditional incandescent bulbs. Downtown parking is free on weekends and after 6 p.m. on weeknights.
Coniston Christmas parade and tree-lighting
Dec. 2 and 3
The Coniston Community Action Network (CAN) has organized its first annual Christmas Parade and Tree Lighting event. The parade weekend starts with a tree-lighting in the park at 6:30 p.m. Friday, Dec. 2. Please join the Coniston CAN for some carols, hot chocolate and a little bit of holiday spirit. The first annual Coniston CAN Christmas Parade runs Saturday, Dec. 3 at 6 p.m. The parade will start from the elementary schools in Coniston and go down Edward Avenue, turning left on Government Road and ending at Second Avenue. Participants are then invited to enjoy complimentary hot chocolate and snacks at the Colonial Inn.
Christmas Art Show (Sue Lampinen)
Dec. 2-4
Check out the art of Sue Lampinen at her Christmas art show. Event runs 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Dec. 2-4 at Lampinen Fine Art and Custom Framing. Come by for Christmas cheer, treats, and enter your name to win a festive bird feeder door prize. 1350 Regent St., across from Shell station.
Northern Lights Festival Boréal presents Black Umfolosi
Dec. 3
Check out NLFB’s upcoming concert featuring Black Umfolosi of Zimbabwe. The group performs the traditional music and dance of South Africa. They've toured all over the world and members have even performed for Queen Elizabeth. The show runs Dec. 3 at Collège Boréal. Showtime is 8 p.m. Tickets are available online here.
Children’s book launch (Val MacMenemey)
Dec. 3
Val MacMenemey launches her book “The Magic Snow Globe” at 11 a.m. Dec. 3 at the South End Public Library. This picture book is suitable for 5-9-year-olds. Enjoy a reading, cookies, a colouring activity, demo on making snow globes and music by Jamie Dupuis. Purchase the book for $15 (cash only).
Copper Cliff Tree Lighting
Dec. 4
The Copper Cliff CAN invites the community to the eighth annual Copper Cliff Tree Lighting. The event takes place at the Copper Cliff Museum starting at 5 p.m. Dec. 4. Enjoy a ceremony, hot chocolate, candy canes, cookies, games and a visit from Santa Claus. Non-perishable food donations are appreciated.
Sudbury Performance Group presents Raine Maida and Chantal Kreviazuk
Dec. 8
Catch Raine Maida and Chantal Kreviazuk in concert as part of their Forgive Me tour Dec. 8 at Collège Boréal. The show is put on by Sudbury Performance Group. Chantal Kreviazuk, a two-time Juno Award winner and Raine Maida — a four-time winner with Our Lady Peace — are one of Canada’s most influential cultural couples. Doors open at 7 p.m., with the show beginning at 8 p.m. Tickets are available online here.
Sudbury Performance Group Presents A Charlie Brown Christmas
Dec. 9-17
Sudbury Performance Group presents A Charlie Brown Christmas Live on Stage from Dec. 9-17. The classic animated television special A Charlie Brown Christmas comes to life in this faithful stage adaptation in which Charlie Brown, Snoopy and the rest of the Peanuts gang discover the true meaning of Christmas. A Charlie Brown Christmas was first shown as an animated television special in 1965 and has been part of the holiday tradition ever since. The stage adaptation was completed in 2013. Act 1 will include the live stage adaptation. Act 2 will include a Christmas sing-a-long and a visit by Santa himself! The show runs at Thorneloe University theatre. Purchase tickets online here.
“Noël avec Labelle” concert
Dec. 10
Local music icon Chuck Labelle is set to return to the stage to celebrate the Christmas season. For the first time in three years, Laballe is returning to the stage to sing all of his favourite Christmas songs alongside his band of young local musicians Dec. 10 at the Trisac Auditorium in Collège Boréal. From classic songs to original material, audiences young and old will delight in this high energy holiday extravaganza called Noël avec Labelle. Tickets available through Event Brite.
“Joy to the World” concert
Dec. 10
Nickel City Sound, Sudbury’s award-winning women’s barbershop chorus is joined by the music students at Lockerby Composite School for their upcoming “Joy to the World” concert. Enjoy a special performance by the Lockerby Student Guitar Trio. The event takes place at 2 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 10 at Lockerby’s auditorium. Tickets cost $10 for adults and $5 for those aged 17 and younger. Tickets at www.nickelcitysound.ca, at the door (cash only), or from any chorus member. A portion of the ticket sales go to the Sudbury Food Bank.
Christmas with the Ennis Sisters
Dec. 10
Tickets for “Christmas With The Ennis Sisters” at All Nations Church are now on sale at the Sudbury Theatre Centre box office and at the All Nations Church office, located at 414 St. Raphael St. Ennis Sisters are now in their 25th year of touring, organizer Bob Bale told Sudbury.com. The show will take place on Dec. 10 at 7:30 p.m. at All Nations Church.
Epic Eagles tribute concert
Dec. 10
A group called the Epic Eagles that bills itself as “Canada’s definitive Eagles tribute band” performs in Sudbury Dec. 10. Audiences are treated to the legacy sound of the Eagles when they began to rule the airwaves: Hotel California, One of These Nights, Life in the Fast Lane, Desperado, Dirty Laundry, New Kid In Town, Take It Easy, The Boys Of Summer and more. The band features the voice of Dean Young as “Henley” (former lead vocalist / drummer of the tribute Hotel California) alongside vocalists/multi-instrumentalists Mike Alonzo, Jeff Salem, Dan Bohemier and some of Canada's most in demand musicians, all covering Glenn Frey / Timothy B Schmit / Randy Meisner / Joe Walsh. The show is in benefit of Diabetes Canada. It runs at 7:30 p.m. at Laurentian University’s Fraser Auditorium. Tickets are available by phone at 1-800-516-5810.
La Slague presents Vaches, The Musical
Dec. 10
Do you dream of seeing Casselman, the Ice Storm and a cow named Caramel on the big screen? So does La Slague. But until it can get that kind of money, here’s the musical. Very loosely based on a true story, Vaches, the musical tells the story of how Jean, a farmer, tries to save hundreds of cows from certain death despite the obstacles: his urban daughter, the money-hungry mayor, the soldiers who show up and the ice storm that freezes the hearts of the inhabitants. Both funny and touching, Vaches, the musical speaks (and sings!) with humour and sincerity about the spirit of community and solidarity shown by Franco-Ontarians in the face of adversity. The show runs at Place des Arts Dec. 10 at 2:30 p.m. Tickets are available online here.
Sudbury Indie Cinema presents All-You-Can-Eat Cereal Cartoon Party
Dec. 10
Sudbury Indie Cinema is putting on a nostalgia-filled event to ring in the holidays Dec. 10 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. The Saturday Morning All-You-Can-Eat-Cereal Cartoon Party is exactly what you think it is - three hours of Christmas-themed retro cartoons, commercials and PSAs with all the cereal you can eat. The cartoons are a surprise - David Bertrand of Stompbox has curated this collection just for the holidays. The Indie will have all of the fun, sugary cereals from your childhood. Gluten free and vegan options will be available for those that need it. Cereal is included in admission. This is an all ages event. Tickets are $10 for members, $14 for non-members and $7 for kids 12 and under. Purchase tickets online here.
“Songs of the Season” concert
Dec. 11
The Young Sudbury Singers and the No Strings Attached Community Band are teaming up for their “Songs of the Season” concert. Runs Sunday, Dec. 11 at 2 p.m. at Lockerby Composite School’s McKellar Auditorium. Tickets $10 for adults, $5 for students. Kids 6 and younger are free. Email [email protected], phone 705-662-0115 or purchase tickets at the door (cash only).
Comedy show (Bert Kreisher)
Dec. 11
Comedian Bert Kreischer’s tour of North America is coming to this neck of the woods in December, with a Dec. 11 show scheduled to take place at the Sudbury Community Arena. The stand-up comedian and podcast host is perhaps best known in recent years for his work with Netflix, which has included a stand-up special called “Hey Big Boy” and a reality TV series called “The Cabin with Bert Kreischer.” The latter of the two shot to the top 10 on Netflix within 24 hours of its debut and was the most-watched unscripted series on the platform that week. His latest tour, which is making its way to Sudbury, is called “The Berty Boy Relapse Tour,” kicks off in Brandon, Mississippi, on Sept. 2, after which it will wind throughout North America before concluding more than three months later in Sudbury. Tickets for Kreischer’s Dec. 11 show at the Sudbury Community Arena went on sale Friday, and are available online by clicking here, by phone at 705-671-3000 and in-person at 240 Elgin Street.
Lights On home decoration challenge
Until Dec. 12
Lights On is in its second year and Sudburians can enjoy challenging their neighbours to celebrate the festive season with the decorating of the exterior of their homes. Join in the fun and maybe share in the wonderful prize money that is being offered.Visit www.cafefestivalnoel.ca, Lights On and register today.
The Living Nativity
Dec. 21-24
After a two-year hiatus due to COVID-19, All Nations Church is once again presenting The Living Nativity this Christmas season. The event, which is celebrating its 35th anniversary this year, will occur nightly at Science North from December 21st to the 24th, with the presentation starting at 7:30 and the venue opening at 6:30. There is no cost to attend. However, all attendees are invited to come early, look at the beautiful Christmas lights put up by the Sudbury Charities Foundation and donate to that important cause.
YES Theatre/STC presents Elf: The Musical
Until Dec. 23
One of the most beloved holiday stories of the 21st century: Buddy, a young orphan, mistakenly crawls into Santa’s bag of gifts and is transported to the North Pole. The would-be elf is raised, unaware that he is actually a human until his enormous size and poor toy-making abilities cause him to face the truth. With Santa’s permission, Buddy embarks upon a journey to New York City to find his birth father and discover his true identity. Faced with the harsh realities that his father is on the naughty list and his half-brother doesn’t even believe in Santa, Buddy is determined to win over his new family and help New York remember the true meaning of Christmas. This modern-day holiday classic is sure to make everyone embrace their inner elf. After all, the best way to spread Christmas cheer is by singing loud for all to hear. Not only will you walk away believing in Santa Claus you’ll also have a renewed faith in the power of theatre. The run is now extended until Dec. 23 at the Sudbury Theatre Centre building. Tickets are available online here.
Durkac Festival of Lights
Until Dec. 25
The Durkac family brings back its annual Christmas lights display starting Friday, Nov. 25. The display, located at 48 Severn St. in the Donovan/Cambrian Heights area, runs Friday to Sunday from Nov. 25 through Dec. 25. There will be a special appearance from Santa Claus from 6:45 to 9 p.m. Dec. 3, 10, 11, 17, 18 and 23. The “Sudbury Grinch” appears Dec. 11, 18 and 23. Those taking in the light display are asked to bring food or cash donations for the Edgar Burton Sudbury Christmas Food Drive. A food and money box will be set up at the end of a driveway. This year’s display features 35,000 Christmas lights. Follow the festival on Facebook under Durkac Festival of Lights.
No One Eats Alone Dinner
Dec. 25
After a hiatus due to COVID, the sixth annual No One Eats Alone Dinner runs on Christmas Day at the Northbury Hotel. Full turkey dinner with all the fixings. The event is put on by Ward 2 Coun. Michael Vagnini in conjunction with the hotel. Doors open at 3:30 p.m. and dinner is served at 5 p.m. Admission is $15 per person at the door. Phone 705-561-5440 for reservations or more information.
Volunteers needed for Safe Ride Home
Throughout holiday season
After a two-year hiatus due to COVID, Safe Ride Home Sudbury is again offering to get you home safely from holiday parties. As valuable and worthwhile as the service is, though, it needs volunteers to function. People can volunteer solo, with friends, and family or organize a group from their workplace. Anyone interested in applying or looking for additional information can do so online at SafeRideHomeSudbury.ca.
Perogies and Cabbage Rolls
Mondays to Fridays
Fresh perogies and cabbage rolls are available for curb-side pick-up from Monday to Friday at the Ukrainian Seniors’ Centre. Place your order by phoning 705-673-7404.
